suicide king
by SebonzaMitsuki27
Summary: RenoElena, RenoTifa, RudeTifa. Post-game. … I hate the King of Hearts.
1. ace of hearts

"_Sleeping Beauty's in a foul mood_

_For shame, she says_

_None for you dear prince, I'm tired today_

_I'd rather sleep my whole life away, than have you keep me from dreaming."_

**Fairytale, **Sara Bareilles

— **s**_k_ —

It starts how it always starts.

With Reno.

With Reno and shiny stars dancing oh-so-prettily in his leaf-green eyes.

With Reno and shiny stars dancing oh-so-prettily in his leaf-green eyes, and the words that come out in a sigh:

"I think I'm in love."

— **s**_k_ —

Shuffle the deck, dim the lights and take care.

It's a simple checklist that's a mental mantra.

Specifically, one that screams in neon – a thought that circulates the nature of this game; in fact, this game is only ever played _because_ of Reno.

And that's mainly trying not to let the Elena-pot boil.

Problem is, is that the Elena-pot is boiling pretty badly.

All the symptoms are there: the white steam, the exploding bubbles, toils and troubles. Rude wouldn't be terribly surprised if an eye of a newt, or a frog's tail was hidden at the very bottom of the stove. Because Elena could be a witch at times, when her temper was in a particularly _bad_ mood and the only person to suffer was him, and his precious ears.

Of course, Elena could also be something else that _rhymes_ with witch, but Rude is sympathetic today and understands where she's coming from.

Because he too is fuming; but far more discreetly than Elena ever will.

"That stupid _bastard!_" She seethes, red colouring her cheeks, as her arms fold over her chest, she huffs. "Stupid Reno and his womanizing ways."

"… stupid Reno and his _romantic_ ways." Rude calmly corrects her, quite glad at her temper tantrum directed not at him.

Were this any other conquest, then Reno would deal it as he normally would: chat-up lines, a charming smile and a dazzling wink that would no doubt lead a lady to the bedroom. If they were quick enough to find one.

But no.

This wasn't like that.

Since Reno liked a _challenge_. Since Reno _fell in love._ Unfortunately.

It was rare, but it happened. And then the red-haired seducer would go to extreme lengths to capture the heart of his woman of that he supposedly 'loved'. Yet he could never do it alone: he needed a partner, a cohort to work with and meticulously strategize his strengths and weaknesses.

"Well, yes." Irritable, Elena shrugs, annoyance shifting her furrowed eyebrows. "That too."

And who was the partner?

Why, none other than either Elena _or_ Rude.

That led to them to this Very Important Situation, that both despised Reno greatly for.

Neither _wanted_ to be his partner, not in Reno's Romancing Routine.

And so… here they are.

Determining the outcome, who was to be the Main Sufferer, while the other also suffered, but was able to sit back, relax, and enjoy the show, bringing popcorn if they so desired.

"Alright. Are you ready?" Holding his breath, Rude counts to five.

"Yes! Wait—no! I mean, yes! Before it's too late, now deal! _Deal!_" Cheeks bursting into flames, Elena changes her mind, before settling into her 'concentrated' mode. "Hit me!"

Patiently, Rude deals the cards.

It's going to be a long night.

Mostly because Elena will change the game half-way through playing; since she _assumes_ that Rude's lucky winning strike is really him _secretly_ cheating.

Preposterous!

Rude never cheats.

Unless he has decided that tempting fate is the best way to set things in motion.

— **s**_k_ —

Dawn slowly creeps in.

Black jack. Poker. Twenty-one. Slam! Speed. Bullshit. Cheat. Patience. Go fish. Happy families. Pinochle. The games go on and on. Most of them are the same with just a different name.

And it's finally come to this.

One of two options, held in Elena's hand. Take the left, and Rude may find himself just enjoying the show. Take the right, and Rude may find himself _in it._

Heaven or Hell. That is the question.

"So." It's long and drawn out.

"So." The word echoes emptily, the sentiment mirrored.

"Who is the other card?" Carefully, he enquires, engaging her for the sake of the reaction – the telltale giveaway of the flushing cheeks and darting eyes that used to catch Elena off guard.

Yet he's forgotten: he's trained Elena well.

Composure is less easily broken, and her motor mouth is more a function to catch people unawares, thinking she's a clumsy gossip with the heart of sunshine. There's tranquillity, and when focused, her heartbeat slows down, and the thoughts are processed before her mouth even utters another syllable.

She concentrates, inhaling deeply before glancing at the cards, eyes equally residing on both of them, expression neutral, amber eyes perfectly void.

"The bedpost queen."

"… I see. Queen of Spades."

And with that, he picks a card, his spidey-sense tingling.

Blinks. Once. Twice. Thrice.

"… huh." He actually… got lucky.

Elena did not.

"Why?" She moans, her calm composure gone; head colliding into the table, as she chucks the suicide king – the King of Hearts – pathetically, as it floats like a feather, flopping to the ground. "Why _me?_"

"Aw, poor baby." It's Rude's only words of comfort. That's all he can really offer her when he's internally cackling with glee, relieved.

This time, Elena is Reno's Partner. The One Who Suffers the Most.

"… I hate you, Rude." She whinges, face reddening with humiliation. "Some friend you are."

He should protest at that – usually he fixes the outcome so he _loses_, but this time, he'd had enough.

Plus, he had suspicions. Various suspicions about various things.

"There, there." Quite coolly, Rude starts to pick and neaten the pile of cards for Next Time. "It'll be over soon."

"I sure hope so." Mumbling into the table, Elena's eyelids droop, overcome by tiredness. "You give him a great big ol' black eye, right?"

"With pleasure." Tentative, the bald Turk pats her head, ruffling her blonde hair and making sure that it doesn't get in her eyes; certain that she is asleep.

Then says:

"Reno, you _git."_

— **s**_k_ —

And who is the latest conquest, the 'Love of His Life'?

Why, none other than Tifa Lockheart.

— **s**_k_ —

Disclaimer: ffvii. not mine.


	2. two of hearts

"_And despite her bipolar rollercoastering_

_I think I can trust she'll keep me singing differently_

_Trying and saving my life, thinking not of her own_

_And always kissing me goodnight when I just need to be alone_

_She's so sweet, so discrete; she's exactly what I need."_

**Not So Usual, **Jason Mraz

— **s**_k_ —

Elena likes to grumble. And moan. And bluster and bicker.

Folds her arms, tries to look disdainful, and if she's in a particularly grouchy mood, she'll even stomp on his feet.

As it is, there's usually a red flush along spreading across her face whenever she talks to him. No matter what she does, it's always there, a perfect thing to tease about – and so he does, when the mood strikes him. But that's a double edged sword, since if he doesn't play his cards right, he'll be getting a red-hand-shaped suit of his own, splayed across white flesh.

Plus pouting.

Bonus.

— **s**_k_ —

"Remind me—" Elena starts unloading many books onto his waiting hands. "What are we doing here?"

… _ten._

… _twenty._

… _thirty._

She doesn't stop, even when the books start falling to the floor, giving his manly arms many painful paper cuts. She doesn't stop even though his arms are starting to strain on the weight and his legs are about to buckle. Not that Reno, lord of capturing ladies' hearts would tell her that. He'd just ask her to stop. Very, very nicely and gently and with bribery, as this was the way of the Turks.

"… um, Laney? 'Lena?" The blonde Turk apparently doesn't hear him, rummaging for more books that might Aid The Quest. "You can stop now."

… _thirty-one._

"Did you ask Rude to punch me?"

That stops Elena in her tracks, confusion scattering all over her face; her nose adorably wrinkling, head tilting slowly.

"Now why would I do that?" She asks aloud, biting her lip in thought. It might actually be a picture of innocence, if she hadn't looked nervously to the side.

_Gotcha._

Elena's Easy To Tell If She's Lying Habits strike again!

"Now, 'Laney… you know you can tell me anything, right?" With difficulty, he steps forward, closer and closer, until there's no escape; though the lightening load is much appreciated as books become forgotten, flopping helplessly to the floor, nothing to shelter them, nothing to protect their lovely spines from breaking. "_Anything_."

… it's a really cool thing being an alleged 'Bad Guy'. Especially since he can not care about minute details and intimidate people with a mock-polite façade.

"Nuh-uh! There was nothing I said to Rude that ever even _implied_ punching you in the face." Elena squeaks, stepping back, and letting a few books out of her grasp. "So I don't know what you're talking about."

"So you say," Reno murmurs, hands finally free, even though his latest obstacle is a barrier of slain warriors of paper and ink, acting like a fortress. "But I still think you're lying."

Really, he should kick a book out the way. It wouldn't feel nearly as bad as kicking a puppy. Or would it?

"Well I'm not." Elena raises her chin proudly. "I never, directly or deceivingly, told Rude to punch you. And if you did, then why don't you have a black eye?"

One might say that her answer is logic. Reno automatically places it in the area of Suspicious Behaviour.

"With my pretty face? Nothing leaves a mark on there."

"Except lipstick kisses." The brown-eyed Turk is quick to snap back to.

"Jealous?" He can't help himself; her hot flush is reward enough. "So. Tell me, what's this about?"

She looks away, the red apple cheek fading to the colour of pink roses. "N-Nothing."

"Oh, I see." One eyebrow arches, and a smirk slides onto his face. "This is about the whipped cream incident, isn't it?"

"And wh-_why_ would it be about that?" This time, Elena looks up, counting to five.

_Interesting._

"Well, if I'd known it was about that, I could have put it to a better—"

"Reno." Elena purses her mouth, willing herself not to speak but in short and quick sentences. "We're not talking about it. Not here." She exhales. "Remind me, why are we here?"

He can't help but give a brilliant grin. "Have you forgotten, Elena? It's—"

"_Horror! Fear! Despair! What __**vagrants**__ have I found trespassing upon these books of sacred holiness?"_ The librarian all but shrieks, unleashing Paper _Shurikens_ Of Doom upon her Book Murders. "_Run! And never come back, you __**monsters**__!"_

The blonde Turk shrieks, shoves Reno away, and follows the sobbing librarian's advice, never looking back… which leaves Reno quite amused.

Before the librarian tries to poke his eye out with a book mark.

He offers a lopsided smile, in hopes of cooling the fury that lights so theatrically in streaming eyes, and quickly makes a retreat… slinky spaceman style.

— **s**_k_ —

So.

_Research._

It went well.

— **s**_k_ —

Rude drains every single drop of his hard liquor.

"And then—then he used his—his _rape face_ on me!" Elena clings to him, embracing his waist for dear life. "His—his—"

"I know, Elena. I know." He must resist the urge to hug her back. Damn adorable girl, she's far too vulnerable drunk.

Rude has known Reno's 'rape face' for far too long. But he never wants to hear it being referred that way ever again.

Tifa twirls and grins as she makes her way to the table, hair flying in pretty shades of molten brown, almost red by the flashing lights. "Everything alright?"

Thank the Planet that Reno is in the bathroom.

"Perfect." He offers a smile as compensation for the sight that she sees: one stone-dead drunk, the other just waiting for the moment when everything goes blank. Except wait: he can't. He _has_ to stay sober because the other two are so damn tipsy. "Another one, if you please?"

"Haven't you had too many?" Tifa raises an eyebrow, hands on hips.

"Not nearly enough." He claps his hand on Elena's back to stop her from falling; and his face is now borderline painful.

"Run." Elena incoherently warns the former AVALANCHE member. "Please, just _run._"

"I'll get you your drink." The Barmaid Goddess turns, momentum like water, strength visible in all it's splendour.

Then Reno appears, and it all goes down from there.

After a long and pregnant pause, Rude decides to buy Tifa begonias.


	3. three of hearts

"_They're gonna clean up your looks_

_With all the lies in the books_

_To make a citizen out of you_

_Because they sleep with a gun_

_And keep an eye on you, son_

_So they can watch all the things you do."_

**Teenagers, **My Chemical Romance

— **s**_k_ —

"Hey babe. Remember me? Reno, of the Turks, here at your service. I kill people for a living. I'll kill people for _you_."

A cocky smirk. Glittery eyes. Sparkly skin.

The alcohol was talking for him; and how Reno loved the buzz, seeing the world in such a pretty state.

What Reno didn't love, was the punch that came out of nowhere, aiming straight for his consciousness and crackling like lightning.

— **s**_k_ —

"You know something? You _suck_ at pick up lines! I mean what kind of… I can't believe you _said_ that to her! It's plain idiocy." Elena sighs, frustrated, dabbing ice on his eye, now sporting a very, very mean black bruise. "Plus, Lockheart _does_ know who you are. I think constant attempts of trying to botch up their plans would make her remember us. And put a bad impression on her. Just _what_ exactly were you thinking?"

"Wasn't." Grumpily, Reno pouts, his voice mumbling.

"Yeah. I could see that. Which was _why_ I was apologizing to her seconds afterward you found solace in the darkness; so long as you don't hit on her while wasted—"

"—on _love_. Remember, 'Laney, I'm in _love_ with her." His face positively glows like moonbeams while his thoughts remain on _Tifa._

"So you've said. Fine, while you were wasted on _love_," Elena relents, but doesn't bother to hide her disdain, "and _alcohol._ You remember that, right? Since it used to be your best friend, in those ole days when Rude and I weren't. We, who are now, so very sadly, are dragged into your schemes."

"And what are you saying?" Fixing his green eyes on her, she looks away, putting more pressure than there should have been. "Ow!"

"I'm just saying that, perhaps," Elena takes deep and slow breaths, instantly lessening her strength back into light feathers. "You should be more _considerate_." A pause. "Of us." And if he knows what the word actually means, then he'll get a brownie point.

"Since when have I asked you to do something you don't want to do?" And his voice has reverted into his saccharine flavoured poison, feigning innocence that has never been there because Reno is a Spawn Of Evil.

Her eyes narrow in response, slightly shaking her head. She is not falling for that. "There are too many times to write them down."

The red-haired Turk petulantly ignores her, sniffing haughtily, slender face looking up like an aristocrat.

A ruffled aristocrat that is clearly unhappy with how the situation has panned out but still. Reno is a fan of melodrama.

"I don't know what you're talking about." He mutters, voice low.

_Sure you don't._ Elena thinks viciously, but keeps her mouth shut. It doesn't mean that she won't frown.

— **s**_k_ —

They find Rude at the sweet shop.

Apparently he's been debating between a gobstopper and a packet of gum, the difference between them five Gil.

Reno arches his eyebrow. "So this is your dilemma?"

Rude offers a tight smile. "… relatively minor compared to the affair of the heart, I know. But it still is a vital necessity."

Furrowing her eyebrows, Elena glances at the choice of sweets, and lets her gaze drift. "You know, I'd choose the strawberry bonbons."

"Huh." Reno checks the price. It's more expensive, but he knows that its Elena's favourite sweet in the whole entire Planet.

"… strawberry bonbons it is." Rude nods, discarding Option A and Option B for Option C.

Elena's glee is contagious, brightly burning stars that send comets alight before it fades.

— **s**_k_ —

"… what's the problem?" Silent Rude may be, stupid he is not.

"Last night I… might have… no, I _did_ muck up on… getting Tifa to like me." Relaxing one the bench, they lapse into a silence, save Elena munching her newly acquired packets of sweets as quickly as possible for more candy.

"… I see." After all, he was there. And he remembers everything.

Reno trying to flirt by using backfire tactics. Elena drunkenly apologizing, while being terrified by the rising hoard of invading chocobos. Reno still conscious despite being out of line, was slurring something about 'pretty, parallelogram eyes' – presumably Tifa's, although the image is strange to imagine. He himself was desperate to try and solve the situation, even though Elena was clinging to him for dear life. Eventually, though awkward, he managed to direct the both of them towards their apartment, after several misunderstandings.

At least the drink was on the house.

"Alright. So I know that wasn't the _best_ way to go – but I've learnt my lesson. Promise." And for a second, it sounds genuine.

It's a lie, no doubt. Reno is just going to come back more bouncy and flamboyant and hope that _this_ version of himself can win Tifa Lockheart. And if not, there's always next time – a different approach, a different appeal.

"But what do I do now? I mean… I have to make it up to her. Somehow."

Clearly, Reno's 'falling in love' phase has rendered him incapable of thought. He's had methods to handle the situation, fuelled by amusement. But the second this is 'real', then everything falls apart.

It's at that exact point that Elena chooses to return back to the conversation, noticing Reno's Puppy Eyes that never fail for the reaction he wants.

"Don't worry. We'll find a way – after all, we are Turks!" And Positive Miss Cheerleader is probably wondering why she said that, decidedly coming to the conclusion that Reno has Hypnotic Eyes. Rude is inclined to agree with that. It's one of the many reasons why he chooses to wear shades these days.

"Damn straight! But… what do we _do_?"

Sighing, Rude opens his other bag, which he had been hiding from them. "Give her these and apologize."

"Flowers?" Reno blinks, eyes impossibly wide. "You think she'll like them?"

"Oh, they're so pretty, Rude!" The Rookie Turk gasps in delight. "She'll definitely love them. What kind are they?"

"… begonias." He eventually says, smiling and feeling rather foolish.

"Mwah!" Impulsively, Reno kisses his forehead, hands clapping over his ears. Then makes an odd face, as if he can't believe he just did that. Or… his head tastes weird, which is quite a disturbing thought. "… I am never doing that again."

Nor would Rude want him to. But hopefully the message that roars in anger through the Sunglasses Of Doom is coming through just peachy.

"Okay!" Reno claps his hands, and grabs the begonias. "I'm going to get some mouthwash – and then, I'm heading straight to her."

"Hey! Careful with the flowers!" Elena calls after him, standing up and brushing the fallen sugar diamonds off her clothes. She turns to face Rude, and there's a smile on her face. "Wow."

"… shut up." The embarrassment floods through his cheeks.

"That must have been—"

"—better than the rape face look, yes?"

His comment wipes her smile away; replaced with a hot flush and a sour smirk.

So now two Turks stand in the park, red faced, miffed and brewing rain clouds that might ruin the afternoon.

"Make sure Reno doesn't fuck it up, okay?" Resigned, the two sufferers formed a silent truce. "Look out for him."

"Have no fear!" And the Happy Little Cheerleader gives another grin, before setting into a run. "I always do."


	4. four of hearts

"_Look at you getting more than just a re-up_

_Baby, you got all the puppets with their strings up_

_Faking a like a good one, but I call 'em like I see 'em_

_I know what you are, what you are, baby."_

**Womanizer, **Britney Spears

— **s**_k_ —

It's never _just_ mouthwash.

No, it's never just _that_. The former Rookie Turk darkly thinks, attempting to 'brood' like angsty heroes do, while munching on her latest addictive cereal: _Chocolate Chocobo Kweh!_

Why is it when men say they're going to do one thing, it essentially means that they are going to do a whole bunch of other things.

And for Reno, vanity and narcissism means that it isn't just about mouthwash – it's getting the minute details right.

Hell. He's changed clothes about _five_ times.

Applied a little bit of make up, experimentally toyed with perfumes—_cologne, _as Reno automatically corrects her. It's _cologne._ And smoothed out his usually rumpled clothes, and somehow using special effects to make his red hair look all shiny.

Thankfully, he ditched the gaudy gold rings. And gaudy gold chains. And everything that is associated with pimps.

Though Reno is many things, he is not a pimpmeister. And though he may think so, Elena knows the truth. He isn't.

He's… a very strange purple mushroom.

Now, Elena's not entirely certain where the analogy comes from, but she's certain it's true and fits.

But how is a mystery.

— **s**_k_ —

"What am I, your slave?" Grumbling, Elena steps out of their apartment, absentmindedly pouting.

"So long as you love me, 'Laney, I don't care what you are." Reno offers a smirk, eyebrows waggling suggestively.

Her pout changes into a frown.

_Fucking womanizer._

Wonders why she's staring so much at the flowers that look like they're dying from his very touch.

Those poor, poor begonias.

"… I hate fixing up your tie, you know." Cheeks redden, and she's not entirely sure why. But the fact remains that Reno is terribly messy, and with a moan, Elena neatens him up, quite reluctant, but unable to help it since she can't stand his lethargy. "You should take better care of yourself."

"Relax." The redhead Turk smiles lazily, unconcerned by her notice of complaint. After all, she's stated it several times before, and not one of them has been acknowledged. "I have you, don't I?"

"Mm." She replies noncommittally, face darkening. "Guess so."

It's a prospect that she both loves and hates. And then shoves to the back of her mind.

Back to Operation: Reno the _Romancer_.

… and she hates it more than ever.

— **s**_k_ —

It is quite clear that without being in the proximity of Tifa, Reno is charming—Reno _can_ be charming—Elena is quick to rephrase.

Bats an eye, sparkling green, winking and oozing with just a _dash_ of playfulness; Reno, if he has the motivation, can get discounts _anywhere._

Elena would curse him, if that wasn't so damn useful for her own shopping trips.

So what it is about Tifa that makes him act so differently?

(This is not jealousy! It's… _curiosity_. Her mind justifies the emotion. Simply curiosity.)

— **s**_k_ —

"What is it about her?" Eventually her… curiosity submits to being spoken aloud.

As much as she doesn't mind the silence that Reno is graciously giving her, she doesn't like to be confined to her thoughts. After a while, they tend to swallow her whole and drive her paranoid. Not all the time, but on rare occasions. Whilst she could admire the scenery of the park and the plants, this question just _bugs_ Elena more that anything else.

"Hmm?" Reno, surprised by her break of thoughtful silence, looks at her, intent. "What was the question?"

Either her temper frays, or her patience is on an extremely short fuse – but her entire face is boiling. Although she can't say why.

"_Tifa._ What is it about _her_ that draws _you_ in, and attracts your _romantic_ heart?"

If that sounds bitter, it's totally unintentional.

Either way, he sighs, lovelorn, and the blonde woman has to resist the urge to gag. It's going to be a monologue that she doesn't really want to hear, and she's regretting haven spoken the words in the first place.

But Reno, like her, is a chatterbox. And once he speaks, he will not shut up.

So she cheats, and zones out, giving the occasional nod when she can. Elena has to look attentive, after all. While on the way to Tifa's house.

Finally, Reno sums it all up. This is obvious by the terribly discreet intake of breath with a fumble of hands that rather remind Elena of a fly.

— **s**_k_ —

"Tifa Lockheart is a beautiful woman. Unappreciated. And oh, so elegant." Hand on heart, a smile slides onto his face. And Reno knows, however hard to tries to phrase it, it never be quite _enough_ to what he truly means – these descriptions merely inklings of the larger entity that is the brunette bartender. "Her kindness overpasses all others, yet though she can be gentle, there are layers of such ardour and strength, that it takes my breath away every time I see it."

Well. Tifa's punches do that too, but that's on a completely unrelated note.

"Uh-huh."

Apparently, his pixie helper doesn't seem to agree that these points are satisfactory. Fair enough, Reno shall take it upon himself to expand his vernacular and make her understand.

"Cloud's not here, she must be… _lonely._" Yes. That's the word to describe her exactly. "And here _I_ am. Here to ease her from her loneliness."

At this, Elena scoffs, actually laughing. At his tone of voice, perhaps? "You are _such_ a manwhore. That's not love. Try again."

What did he say that was wrong?

"Then… I suppose, it's the colour of her eyes. They are so brilliantly the colour of wine when she beams in happiness. They shimmer, when she laughs; and darken when she becomes angry. But they are always clear, and also so lovely."

"Wow…"

"I know. My admirance leaves me breathless too."

"Tch." A playful punch. "And your vanity rears its ugly head again."

"My vanity is _never_ ugly!" Haughty once more, he takes up the gentleman's mantle.

On a more selfish note, if he dates her, there's a possibility of free booze?

— **s**_k_ —

And with that, Reno knocks on her front door, hiding the pretty begonias that Rude so thoughtfully picked out.

With a yawn, Tifa opens the door, messy hair framing her face perfectly.

"Late night, _ma belle?_" A soft smile graces his cheeks. He makes sure to ignore the rolling of both his ladies' eyes. "I have come, from the watery depths of Hell, to beseech your forgiveness. And with it, I grant you a boon: these flowers…"

"Not roses?" Miss Lockheart gives him a cheeky smile. "If you intend on using clever words, then… shouldn't roses be your best bet to 'beseech my forgiveness', as you called it?"

"Ah, well." Tactical error on his part. Never should he rely on Rude for anything! (He'll take it back later. Of course he will.) But here comes his penchant for flawless lies. "I decided to try a different hand at winning your affections, _mademoiselle._ Roses are cliché, and you require more than that."

"Flattered, _monsieur _Reno." Oh, that accent is sexy enough to melt his heart once more. She arches her eyebrow, and out of the corner of his eye, Elena seems to be shaking with suppressed giggles. "Lucky for you that these flowers in particular happen to be my favourites, eh?"

"Oh, lucky guess, indeed." Rude is a genius. Credit is due for that bald mastermind. Hopefully it isn't portrayed through his slight smile, only looking relieved. Before Elena prompts him. "So you accept my apology?"

"Mm?" Her eyes blink, innocently wide. "What apology? All I see is you offering me flowers, not that I mind."

"Ah. Of course." So he's… _actually_ going to say those words… gulping, Reno tries to take it in his stride. But this is a good thing: for no other, would he even imply it. "… I am terribly sorry for my behaviour the other night. It was… most inappropriate of me."

It's as heartfelt as he could muster. And Tifa takes them with a teasing grin.

"Well okay. You're forgiven. So long as you keep giving me flowers, I don't mind. And next time, don't hit on me in the bar? I _am_ working there, you know. A business to run. Feel free to talk, but… no blatant attempts to woo me, alright _monsieur_ Reno?"

"So then, outside work, you would suggest… a time and place?"

Tifa Lockheart takes initiative. Reno likes that very much.

"Excuse me, but I'm afraid we'll have to cut this chat short. _We _have got to _rendezvous _with a certain person." Elena coughs, stomping on his foot.

"Goodbye, _mademoiselle._" Reno blows a kiss, as he is dragged away, much to the amusement of his fair lady.

The brunette's laughter is heard a million times after the door shuts once more.

— **s**_k_ —

And then it strikes Elena, this epiphany that she couldn't make sense of before, her hand still clamped onto Reno's collar, in the middle of her fuming

"Now I know why you're like a purple mushroom!"

It isn't because the mushroom is purple—it's because it's _brown._

He's like one of those annoying little mushrooms with tiny fangs in Mario—_the Goomba!_—that everyone has the irrepressible urge to _just_ _**die**_ upon sight.

He's just purple because that sticks out from the scenery more, while brown is such a boring colour.

With that, they decide to report back to Rude.


	5. five of hearts

"_She calls to speak to me_

_I freeze immediately_

'_Cause what she says sounds so unreal."_

**She's So High, **Tal Bachman

— **s**_k_ —

Apparently, the Happy Little Cheerleader has become the Sad Petite Trooper.

With no Reno besides her.

The angst is barely tolerable.

But that's alright, Rude assures himself, slurping his banana daiquiri with a calming sigh, handing the imaginary Elena imaginary tissues, while the real Elena orders a blueberry smoothie and slumps into her chair.

When there's nothing else, there's a card match.

And he's been dying for a good game for quite some time.

— **s**_k_ —

"So, what's new?"

It's hard to resist a smile. Because Elena can see it, oh so clearly. Now, Rude may _try_ to hide it, _try_ to act completely unaffected, but Elena knows his true feelings towards the martial arts fighter.

And it is so _pretty_ that she can't help but smile.

"Elena?"

"Hmm?" She flutters her lashes in hope that Rude doesn't stare at her weirdly, which is always hard to know, since he wears sunglasses indoors and outdoors, so there's a possibility that he stares at her weirdly all the time; and it's a scary thought. "Did you say something?"

"…" The words are on the tip of his tongue. Elena is certain that there is where they'll stay. At least until he has a nicer way of phrasing it. With much omitting. "What. _Happened?_"

"Oh, about what?" After all, the question is very open to interpretation. Reno's vanity, for instance. He is a very fussy person. Thus hilarity happened while she tried to fire holes into his cloud nine. "Being general won't get you anywhere."

If she strains her ears, Rude is most certainly grinding his teeth. His dentist must despair.

But Elena is kind of revelling in it. And finally, her smoothie has arrived!

"… Tifa Lockheart." And there it is – that note of hope that kind of glimmers like rainbows in raindrops.

"It went well. She loved the flowers. Even went so far as to say that they were her favourite." Gently she says, informing him with kindness. Why shove it in his face when Rude really is a secret sweetheart that any woman should want.

"… lucky guess."

"I suppose." She's not going to comment, but she's certainly going to smile teasingly.

And laugh. Because she can't help it.

Rude's ears are going pink.

"You think we're going to be okay? You know, about the whole Tifa situation?"

She's not even sure that her side of the triangle is even right. It's Reno and Tifa and Rude. And yet… something feels off. It's probably just an ingredient in the smoothie, delicious as it is. Or maybe it's _because_ the smoothie is so tasty that it's affecting her judgement!

"Hit me!" Might as well up the ante.

"I'm sure that things will be fine." And Elena is jealous of how tranquil he can be, dealing the deck and having faith. In such simple things without a complex plan.

"How do you know?" She sounds like a child, wanting to be reassured, and for a second, the ghost of pigtails rest on her head, before she shakes them off.

A slight smile twitches out of the corner of his lips, and with the start of its rise, Rude flips the card.

"Believe me, Elena, the Queen of Hearts is always your best bet."

— **s**_k_ —

Reno is in his apartment, catering to his needs when the phone call comes.

After all, he must always be at his most attractive, at any given time.

Even if, the one woman of his desires hears only his voice – a combination of Cure Materia and a Ukulele.

"Hello my pretty?"

"… _Reno? Are you high?" _The King of Hearts is not amused. Not at all. _"Or were you pretending to be a pirate again, and absentmindedly counting up your booty?"_

"Now why would you say that, Elena?" He muses, eyebrows furrowing. He merely wanted to rearrange his collection of shiny, that's all.

"_Because I know you do that in the dead of the night. Don't deny it. I was simply wondering where you were."_ She huffs, and Reno cannot help but smile.

The little Rookie Turk is so very sweet.

"I was waiting for a call."

"… _a call? Whoever from?"_

Ah-hah! Now her curiosity is piqued.

"Tifa. Currently, she is getting dressed. For our _date._" The word is music to his ears. "And I am simply waiting for her to get back to me. To… clear up any misunderstandings." And to make new allegiances.

"… _oh."_ There's an uncomfortable pause, but Reno is currently waving away any guilt that may have appeared by that mere syllable. Disheartened syllable, that is. _"Do you want me to go with you? To supervise?"_

"But, it wouldn't be a date, if it's including you." He's not being mean. He's _not._ "Listen, Elena, I _appreciate_ what you've done—"

"_And what if you mess up? What if? I'm there simply to make sure you are pushed in the right direction – not to… sabotage it. Or something."_

Elena is no saboteur. She may be the cause of many accidents in her lifetime, but none of them were intentional.

"Okay. You can come. But only if you hide in the shadows. No direct communication during the date, okay? Text me if something goes wrong."

— **s**_k_ —

"Yeah. I look _wonderful._" Reno says in the mirror for the thousandth time.

Rude merely rolls his eyes, switches on the television, and makes sure that the Bug is well and truly hidden in Reno's jacket. After returning from the café, he and Elena decided to 'help' Reno 'prepare' for his dubious date. Rude will listen to the conversation, while Elena will oversee the entire situation, ready to step in if necessary. (But Rude has a suspicion that she'll merely watch instead, as this is a personal gain mission instead of Helping Other People That Do Not Include Them.)

"Ready?"

"Definitely."

Rude represses the urge to shudder. Reno wearing a sickeningly, sickeningly adorably goofy expression on his face and Rude can scarcely stand it.

That role should only belong to Elena. If both of them are goofy idiots, then he won't be able to handle it for long.

Elena is already there, now Reno only has to reach the destination… the _date._

— **s**_k_ —

It's actually quite endearing.

How Reno stutters and tries to quip and think of a witty comment.

Really, it makes Tifa smile.

And glasses-shopping isn't really a date, but she's actually trying to butter him up for something.

Besides, she _is_ trying to find a matching pair.

"Here. These sunglasses suit the lady quite perfectly." Reno says to her, fingers brushing over her hand, delicate. Charming smile always there – he can be quite sweet when he wants to be. "I think you'll find you'll quite agree."

And when she looks at the mirror and back at the redhead Turk once more, she bites her lips, and parts her lips, beginning to speak.

"Reno, honey." Maybe the term of affection was a _bit_ much, but that's too late now. Ready or not, she's making her move. "Will you do me a small favour?"

— **s**_k_ —

Head in her hands, Elena could cry. Rude too, she thinks. This is Reno's only weakness when it comes to pretty women. He can _never_ say _no._


	6. six of hearts

"_Love forever hand in hand_

_Take it all in on your stride_

_It is sinking, falling down_

_Love forever love is free_

_Let's turn forever you and me."_

**Feel Good Inc, **Gorillaz

— **s**_k_ —

"Grr."

"Eh, heh, heh. Elena. _Please_ don't growl. It is most unbecoming of you." It's actually more of a beg than a plea.

"…"

"Rude. Don't glare at me! It _suits_ you, it does, I promise!" And now he's aware of the quaver in his voice, nearly about to break.

But with the tension palpable in the air, it's only because of their long lasting power of friendship that they are still able to function.

Plus the hefty sum of Gil.

"… no, it doesn't. You look lovely, but I wouldn't advise you to that wear again." Elena grouchily says, mouth puckered into a pout.

"Duly noted." Rude agrees, pushing his sunglasses up his nose.

"So _remind me then_," Elena snarls, her façade a perfect smile. "_How did we get into this?"_

Strangely, the children (plus the lovely Miss Lockheart) are oblivious to all of this.

And the children love Rude in a Santa Suit—so something's gone wrong there.

"Oh _yes. _I remember now," Elena's words hiss through clenched teeth. "_It's because you said __**yes**__ to be the entertainment to a birthday party!_"

And his friends hate him.

Great.

But at least Tifa is smiling.

— **s**_k_ —

Rude is in a Santa Suit.

Elena is in a clown's costume.

And Reno? Well, he's a balloon… buffoon!

See? Alliteration _can _be fun.

Especially when insulting Master Of All Hearts Reno.

Together they are the Entertaining Turks, ready to perform tricks of the trade for Denzel's Birthday Party.

… and if they're very, very lucky, they'll be a hit and get a cult following.

— **s**_k_ —

Elena aims the paint gun, actually quite happy with the way things turned out.

Her target, the 'balloon buffoon', as the sweet children decided to nickname Reno, was shivering, and quite frankly, looking a little bit scared. With an apple on top, sprayed with whipped cream just for that extra bit of juicy satisfaction.

Of _course_ she's going to miss the apple to a more… deserving region.

It's simply _payback_ in disguise.

— **s**_k_ —

The 'balloon buffoon' pales in horror, as the gun lazily decides on a target – _him._

Rude cannot stop snorting.

And Tifa Lockheart catches his eye and gives him a faint smile, before she approaches him.

Can Reno's face get any more terrified? His lips are mouthing the words _not the face, not the face, you can shoot __**anywhere**__, 'Lena, but __**not**__ my beautiful face._

It's too bad, really.

The bullet has already been fired.

"You know, I really fancy a chair." Tifa tries to fight a smile as she sits on his knees, making herself quite comfortable. "Do you mind if I take this one?"

If he inhales at this minute, he would smell her perfume.

But—Tifa—has a question. And he—Rude, that's right—has to answer.

"N-no." Eventually he says. "Be my guest. And tell Santa your greatest secret."

_Shit._

There's a reason he's quiet: because he's a motor mouth when he's nervous.

Tifa's smile only widens, cheeks swirling into flushed pink. "My greatest secret? Well, if you insist, Mister Santa Claus. I _wish_—" And now her lips are getting closer and closer to his ear. And they're burning. Truly burning. "—that Reno would realize that actually, I'm not the one he wants."

"Oh?" Then that means that she's leading him on. And as lovely and beautiful as Tifa Lockheart is, Rude isn't sure that he can forgive her for this.

She must have sensed his disapproval.

"He _knows_ I'm not interested."

"_Does_ he?"

"Yes. I've told him multiple times. But he just won't _listen_." She rolls her eyes and then hangs her head. "So I just…"

Give in. Only a little bit. Only for a little while.

But it's enough to give Reno hope, his fickle heart flapping like birds that have just remembered how to fly.

Rude understands the feeling all too well.

"You _bi—tsy witch! Itsy bitsy witch!"_ Reno spits out, eventually, coughing. His good complexion is now ruined by the amount of _chemicals _in that—that paintball.

Woe.

At least he corrected his language?

Tifa tries to hide her giggles.

Confused, he wonders if he spoke his thoughts aloud.

Then he notices her shades that rest on her head. They look very pretty.

Such a pity that Elena doesn't agree. She hates witches more than anything else in the world. Because they were_ born _from _spiders._

— **s**_k_ —

Six. Seven. Eight.

"Damn." Elena checks her paint gun. "I'm going to need more bullets."

The children only cheer.

And so she grins.

Clowns are fucking awesome.

— **s**_k_ —

Denzel doesn't really understand why this is happening. The whole _spectacle_ really. It's utterly, utterly bizarre.

But Marlene is enjoying the show.

So, really, it's okay.

Especially as she links her hands with his.

… except for his growing desire for cake.

— **s**_k_ —

Oh, it started with a story. The inspiration of William Tell.

Reno narrows his eyes, as Elena's smirk only widens.

He hates that guy for _this._

Stupid menace.

— **s**_k_ —

"Sorry," Elena eventually says, once she's calm again, finding a napkin to mop up Reno's face. "I kind of… lost myself."

"Yeah. I figured." Eyebrows arch up and down, and Elena's pretty sure that he didn't believe a word of it.

"The kids loved it." She shrugs. "And if they want it… they got it."

Emerald eyes darken.

And a child approaches him, holding onto a Moogle. "Hey, will you make me a chocobo, mister? Pretty please?"

There's a pause.

"You want it, you got it." His smile is almost flawless, but Elena can see the cracks, even if the Moogle-girl can't.

It's just a _game._ After all, Tifa is who he's aiming for.

And the pretty brunette is coming this way.

_Perfect_.

— **s**_k_ —

Being an Entertainer has Perks.

Free cake is one.

Having kids shower glitter in his hair is not.

But here he is, suffering through the bad and revelling in the good.

Finally, Reno has his Alone Time with the _Mademoiselle_ Lockheart.

— **s**_k_ —

Her hair is almost reddish-brown in this shade of light. It's nice. It… makes her skin almost like honey. Sweet.

"The children love you, Reno. Thank you so much."

"Ah, I'll do anything for you, babe." The words fall so easily from his tongue because it's _true._ "Anything for a gorgeous smile. Do that and I won't pressure you into a kiss?"

Laughing, Tifa complies. Red lips glisten like roses. She grins like an angel lit up in heaven.

"You know I'm never going to kiss you, Reno." She gives him a pointed look, brown eyes warm with playful teasing, smile still on her face.

"Oh, yeah? We'll see about that."

And he makes his move, leaning in a closing the proximity between them, Reno can nearly count every single eyelash that rests on her pretty eyes.

… unfortunately, the children decide at that moment to drag him, kicking and screaming, back into the fray.

Apparently, staining the Santa Suit is a Big No.

— **s**_k_ —

"Whoops?" Elena grins deviously, the picture of innocence, glancing at a leaflet that looks interesting.

It's not her fault that she bribed a kid for a little bit of trouble.

Hey, so kids may not be all that smart, and can be cute, sometimes… they're alright when tormenting Reno.

… Rude was sadly… _collateral damage_.

She's sure he understands. Once she buys tons of gifts of compensation to cure her guilty feeling that will overcome her.

Tomorrow.

— **s**_k_ —

Tifa gives in, kissing him on the cheek as thanks. If anything, Reno has been very sweet in tolerating this, and deserves that much.

But the second he hits on her in the bar during this month, then she is going to get mad.

Since they _did_ make a deal.

Kinda.

— **s**_k_ —

"See?" At the end of the day, Reno optimistically pipes up, glowing. "Birthday parties aren't so bad, after all! We could make _millions_!"

Walking away in sunsets is cheesy, but Elena can't help but share a look with Rude, smiles threatening to appear.

This is why, with a secretive nod, they both reach out and punch the Romancer to give him dead arms.


	7. seven of hearts

"_Your reaction_

_To my action_

_Is what I want to see."_

**Come On Closer, **Jem

— **s**_k_ —

Reno is sulking.

_Brooding_. He prefers to call it _brooding._

Whatever.

"Absence makes the heart go stronger." He clicks his fingers, stopping his continuous stance of staring out the window. Now he's no longer in turmoil and despair of how he's going to win his True Love's Heart. He looks over the moon, eyes gleaming with this revelation. "_Absence_ makes the _heart_ grow _stronger!_"

"Yes. What of it?" Now, Rude can see where this is going. And he doesn't particularly mind. But what is Reno going to do in the meantime?

"Wait. Is it absence?" Reno's forehead creases in confusion. "Or _absinth?_"

"Definitely _absence_, unless you want to muck another relationship up?" He can't help but raise an eyebrow. Besides, the taste of absinth isn't particularly nice.

"Ah, you're right." Reno grins, practically flouncing on candy. "I shall leave… for an undisclosed amount of time… and within that gap, Tifa Lockheart shall realize that she misses me _not _because we are good friends and on good terms with each other, _but_ because in fact… _I _am something _more _to her…"

Yep.

An annoyance.

"… I am the love of her life!" After a long pause, Reno continues, pleased by his logic. Looks smug too.

"So where are you going?" Elena leans forward, curious about the future of Reno.

"Oh, here and there." Reno dismisses the question with a hand wave. "No doubt you'll hear of my brave endeavours."

"Mm." Elena nods, finishing serving breakfast. "Well, go on then. Eat what I just cooked and then walk out the door."

"What?" Reno's taken aback. For some reason.

"Well, you've just said. You're going. Ergo, not staying here. Since you're missing, _we_ won't know where you'll be. But we know that you're fine. But Tifa won't. She'll worry. And come to us. And worry more. At some point," Elena drinks her coffee, mumbling some unknown words though Rude can hear _snatched away, real love, realize, stupid idiot—_"I believe, you will show up, comfort her, and then you can find your happy ending. But just to make it more realistic—you can't be _here_."

And her gaze lingers at Rude. And Rude completely understands.

He's going to place some ingenious traps in Reno's room.

"Oh. I… see. Right." The redhead Turk looks crestfallen. "But I'll miss your delicious pancakes."

"Well then." Elena attempts to continue, though her cheeks have unfurled into faint rose. "Upon your return, I shall make a magnificent feast. Of pancakes. Your favourite kind."

"_I love you, Elena."_ Reno's embrace knocks the poor Turk off her feet, actually lifted off the ground.

Still. She's back to being the Happy Little Cheerleader again.

Beaming like sunshine.

— **s**_k_ —

The door slams behind Reno, flouncing and whistling upon his merry way.

And immediately, Elena turns back to Rude, still tapping away by the table.

"_So." _Her eyes twinkle, playful for a matchmaker who knows what she's doing but doesn't really. Not when Elena is completely oblivious to her own love life. And Elena is nosy, so regardless, she _wants_ to know. "What's your next move?"

Rude pauses, hesitant. Then he takes a breath, and begins to talk.

"… I was thinking…"

— **s**_k_ —

Rude meets her in a supermarket, unexpectedly bumping into her, dropping whatever item that was in his hands. It shouldn't happen of course. The bumping, that is.

He's a grounded, balanced man. That knows martial arts.

He shouldn't 'bump' into anything at all. Or anyone.

For he has poise. And grace. And composure.

And he's very good at making bombs.

But still, he bumps into _her._

The beautiful Tifa Lockheart.

"Sorry. Didn't see you there…" His voice trails off into a mumble, as he senses heat rise into his cheeks. Pretty soon his ears are going to boil steam.

"No, it's okay. I wasn't looking where I was going either…" Her lips widen into a soft smile, small, but easily visible. "Since I was searching for the famed Make Your Own Moogle Cakes."

"Ah, you too?" Rude knows exactly what she's talking about, sighing wistfully.

Except it might not have come out correctly… as there's an awkward pause between them, plus her head tilts in some sort of teasing disbelief.

"… Elena… likes to cook. Asked me specifically for this batch." There are many bonuses to wearing shades indoors. Hiding shifty eyes is one of them.

(The pause was far too long. Rude's only excuse is that his brain shut down. And rebooted. He got distracted by the pretty.)

"Marlene too." Tifa nods, face aglow. It makes sense, since Marlene is practically her own daughter. Or niece, that Tifa shamelessly loves to spoil. "But between you and me, real men are those who can cook for themselves. And seeing you in oven mitts _wouldn't_ be a bad thing."

That's almost suggestive.

"We should cook together one day." Nonchalantly, the bald Turk agrees.

(Distracted by the pretty. Repeat the mantra once more. The cause of his slip ups is because he's _distracted by the pretty_.)

And Tifa just winks.

"I'll look forward to it."

… he just hopes his smile looks amazing.

— **s**_k_ —

They take it slowly, moving across the aisles and scanning the shelves with a practised eye for bargains.

At times they catch each others eye, and grin. Other times, they get excited with the latest offer, or discussions about television programs and favourite characters: the obsessive girl who sings like an angel, slowly learning to believe in friendship; and the skinny boy who breaks their heart because he is destined for someone else, not the nice jock who he truly loves.

Because that television has everything, songs and romance and camaraderie and insanity, but most importantly, it has _heart._

And Rude and Tifa's footsteps slow, because after they pass the till, that's the moment their paths diverge and they walk off into their separate ways.

Yet he clings to the moment, never saying a word.

— **s**_k_ —

Until he does.

"Do you want to fight?"

Dark locks shimmer as Tifa turns back to face him, smile quirked on her lips. One eyebrow arches in amusement, as if to say _are you serious?_

"As in… exercise?" She steps closer towards him, almost quietly playful. "Test our reflexes, and see who the better martial arts fighter is, after all?"

"… yes, exactly that. We never _did_ have a proper match, you know." A smirk begins to grow. "We were always… handicapped."

"That's an interesting way to put it, Rude." The former AVALANCHE member grins. "But I agree. We never were one-on-one. And that makes all the difference."

"On what?" Feigning ignorance always did feel good, if Rude knew where the conversation was heading.

"On our _date_, of course." And both are blushing, but that's alright. "The battle with our fists, the second most intimate thing about you and me."

"Winner takes all."

It's a friendly competition of course. And they should use this to their advantage. Maintain shape and all.

"Tomorrow?" He extends his hand.

"Tomorrow." She grasps it, and so they shake, ready for the next day.

Can't resist one final smile before they part.

— **s**_k_ —

The sun falls, and rises once more.

Reno spends it by sending fireworks into the air.

And stealing laundry.

It's the latest fashion on how to be a Cool Superhero.

According to Elena.

— **s**_k_ —

They meet in the park, stretching gloves and limbs, warming up and going through the motions.

Pushing his shades up to his nose, he asks, voice almost a growl. "You ready?"

"Always."

And they charge at each other, lithely sending a punch that brushes past each others' skin, millimetres away from forming a bruise or breaking teeth. Legs lash out, the result is a nasty kick, and Rude dodges, bending low before he rebounds with new momentum and energy, hand twisting the ground, as he spins back into his feet, centimetres away from her gut.

She catches his wrist, and they freeze for a split second, before her lips twist, and he is sent flying into a tree.

That sad tree breaks in two, splintered into the ground.

"You've learned some tricks." Rude praises her, before charging into a run.

"Ain't nothing to it, foo'." Tifa laughs, taunting him on.

— **s**_k_ —

The Cool Superhero sees a defenceless woman and… his bald cohort!

Fight! Inflicting incredible damage to the scenery!

Well. That's too bad.

If the Bald Menace has _defected…_ then he has no choice but to--

Save! The! Day!

With more melodrama than ever before.

— **s**_k_ —

The battle changes her; or rather, Tifa is different in battle.

Rude can see it so clearly. All her beauty remains, but the softness is gone. She is hard and determined, and yet that does nothing to deter her. It's almost a dance, how she maintains her balance and fight against him, sometimes gaining the upper hand—

"Whoa!"

—and sometimes losing it.

It's an even match.

But both of them are smiling, blood rushing into their faces, muscles pumped, shades discarded, and the adrenaline courses through their system.

And he wonders, idly, which version he likes more. Then smirks.

It doesn't matter, after all, because both versions are sexy.

"You're cheating!"

"Am not." Lazily, he says, as he uses his body weight to push her to the ground, both clothes ripped and grass-stained; and Tifa Lockheart giggles, warm wine-red eyes filled with glee; chests pressing against each other.

"So, what are you going to do now?" And her voice is only a little bit husky.

He pauses, drawing the moment out. Eyebrow arched, the answer was there from the start. He only likes a little bit of teasing, if it makes her face redder after all.

Simply, he says:

"This."

— **s**_k_ —

Can't help but smile as Rude moves forward and kisses her.

She kisses back, and pulls him closer.

Tifa knew, because it's all in the tempo of the battle, fighting almost intense as _other_ romantic activities. She only had to close her eyes and go with the flow…

… and why stop now, if she wants it too?

— **s**_k_ —

_Oh yeah_. Rude thinks as his shades are removed. (Luckily, he has another pair in his pocket.) _All according to plan._

— **s**_k_ —

Defection is apparently synonymous with Betrayal, Backstabbing _Bastard_.

The Cool Superhero stops in his tracks, listening the world crash into tiny… something tiny.

Maybe the world _shrinks._

It certainly is deprived of oxygen. This in turn, makes The Cool Superhero fume.

Stomp.

Stomp.

Stomp.

_This is not __**good**__._

And subsequently turns into another direction, ready to steal some kid's candy.

He's a Turk. It comes with the territory.

— **s**_k_ —

_Reno's home_. Elena knows this by the weight of his feet, and the kind of dainty rhythm that he has; so she looks up and beams at him.

Sadly, and, unexpectedly, the redhead only scowls.

… it doesn't explain his tarnished cape.


	8. eight of hearts

"_What's the problem, I don't know_

_Well maybe I'm in love."_

**Accidentally In Love, **Counting Crows

— **s**_k_ —

There's a reason why the Turks act so childlike and carefree.

It's to have fun, deal with life and move on.

They try their best, taking on jobs and helping people out with the odd job Rufus calls them up to do, or even a phone call from Chocobo Head; their friendly rival in the Jack Of All Trades business to each other. If Strife can't do a job, the Turks are next in line. Or vice versa. It's competition, but fair game.

They respect each other.

But that doesn't mean that in times of mortal danger, they aren't flippant about it. Well, they might be initially; but the rate at which their moods can change can be called eerie.

Yet that doesn't matter at the moment.

Because Reno and Cloud are having a motorbike race.

Sans fighting, Tifa or Rude.

— **s**_k_ —

When Rude finally decides to enter his apartment, he wonders what to tell Reno.

To be honest, Reno said nothing about _extra _competition. And had said nothing about his feelings to Elena.

Although, he was most likely oblivious to his feelings to her, as Elena was to him.

But there were hints, Rude sighs, as he makes himself a pot of tea. Somewhat subtle, but they were there.

All it took was a little push.

And… there is a pink post-it note stuck like slapdash on the table.

_Dear Jerk._ (Oh, it's Reno.) _I have nabbed Elena and we are taking a vacation to… our lips are sealed. You are not permitted to call us, and while we are gone, I want you to think about your actions and ask yourself: have you made the right choice?_

Hidden under the table, is a green post-it note. And Elena has written a much nicer version. _Rude, Reno and I are going on holiday – hopefully winning more Gil in the process. Don't worry; I'll call you later tonight. Make sure that you make some food for yourself. Thanks for buying the Moogle Cake mixture, __**do not use it, okay?**__ Only I know the secret ingredient – just the way you like it. Not sure how long Reno's huff is going to last, but… I'll keep in touch, okay? _

_PS. _(It's in smaller handwriting, practically chocobo scrawl.) _Well done! I knew you could do it!_

_PPS. _(… what now?)_ Could you give the apartment a good old vacuum?_

_Love you, Elena._

That's… that's just _typical!_

— **s**_k_ —

Elena commentates with the helicopter, viewing them for above. And though she may be prone to bias, she does try to be fair…

But ultimately, Reno is the winner.

Flashy fireworks (that have been stolen from Rude's cabinet) will do that to impress her judging skills.

"Nice job you two. But… since this is twenty-six to twenty-seven, at the end of the day… this job _is_ ours. So, details Strife!" She high-fives Reno. "Tell us what this latest job entails."

It's sad, but still, Cloud Strife hasn't learnt to smile that well. It's getting there – well on the way. It just hasn't reached its full potential yet.

— **s**_k_ —

Since travelling in Chocobos is fashionable, that is how Elena and Reno travel. Although Elena _clings_ to Reno because she does not have good experience with moving vehicles. And she is partly afraid of riding Chocobos – not because she is afraid of the bird, Reno knows that the Rookie loves them, but because she is afraid of _hurting_ it—_him_, Reno corrects himself, _him_. Though he tells her every time, there's nothing to be afraid of, Elena only furrows that button-like nose that is cuteness by another name and holds on tighter.

"Nearly there. Nearly there." Reno murmurs, stroking the bird (and if he could, Elena's blonde head) although since he's met Elena, he wonders who's sake is he saying it more for: himself, the Chocobo Spuhluka, or Elena?

"Golden Saucer, here we come."

To be away, for the moment, will be good for him.

It'll let him think, clear his head, and—

"Zzz…"

He grabs onto Elena's arms and tries not to think that once, so long ago, he would have let her fall and conveniently 'forget' about it.

—let Elena have a nice nap, even if she murmurs his name along the way, and he wonders what she's dreaming about.

— **s**_k_ —

When Elena wakes up, Reno is asleep, and inches away from her face, green eyes shut, breath even. And still, as she fights back a smile and notices, his red hair is just as unruly and unkempt as it always is.

Before she realizes it, her hand reaches out, touch as light as yellow feathers, brushing them away from his face. Almost like a trance, pulled in, fingers try and trace the scars on his cheeks, which Reno called tattoos, carelessly, bitterly, jovially.

And there her hand stays, cupping the side of his face. She can only look at him tenderly, with a loss of time.

There's only him.

Sleeping with the softest smile on his face, which she's only glimpsed a few times since she's known him.

Doesn't dare move, in case that threatens Reno's slumber.

Wonders if she should kiss him to wake him up—

And Reno's leaf-green eyes flutter open.

— **s**_k_ —

The first that registers is Elena, and her extremely red cheeks.

"Elena… why is your hand—"

_Slap!_

"Er… bug." She nervously laughs, still red, and possibly, her cheeks are becoming even redder. Almost cerise. Or burgundy.

He lifts his eyebrow, curious. It's the sleep talking; it would have made sense if he was fully awake. "… bug?"

"Y-Yeah. You had a bug on your face. I decided to get rid of it for you." Elena attempts to smile, but it's weak compared to her other smiles. "Multiple times. Seems that thirtieth truly is the _charm_, eh?"

"Yeah." He doesn't buy it, but, whatever. "Say, while we're here, why don't we go on the Gold Saucer? Might as well enjoy it, while we're on the job."

And Elena is strangely quiet.

"Elena? You alright?"

Calling her by her name seems to have worked, snapping her out of her daze, though she jerks back, caught between a smile and a flinch.

"Yeah. _Yeah._" She nods, a bit too puppy-like, but she's still not meeting his eyes. It's a shame; he's always liked her particular shade of brown. "That sounds great. Perfect."

Silence.

"So. Dream about me?"

Elena only shoves her pillow in his face in response.

— **s**_k_ —

_Fuck._ The blonde Turk thinks, as she splashes water on her face, breathing deeply. She stares at herself in the bathroom mirror. _Fuck._

At what point had she _fallen in love_ with Reno?

So she might have developed a small crush on her flirty Turk, yes. Reno's… _charismatic_. Adorable. He can draw people in and repel them if he so wishes. But it was a phase. A _phase._ It came, it went, and that didn't do anyone any harm.

Except this isn't a phase.

It's _love._

(Believe me, Elena, the Queen of Hearts is always your best bet.)

And Rude _knew._


	9. nine of hearts

"_So this is where you are_

_And this is where I am_

_So this is where you are_

_And this is where I've been_

_Somewhere between unsure."_

**Hundred, **The Fray

— **s**_k_ —

Rude. Tifa. Reno. Elena. Rude.

The competitors in this inverted triangle.

It used to be so simple.

And now—

Reno doesn't know what the hell's going on.

This is why he's taken Elena, battled with Cloud over a mission, and decided to take some time off to think things through. And spend some nice holiday time in the Golden Saucer. By coincidence, this is exactly where the mission is.

The problem is, Elena doesn't like ghosts.

"Now you're sure—" Elena can deal with the screams. They don't bother her that much – her job has given her that much invulnerability. But there's something rather unnerving about ghosts, and can't quite correlate it with 'make believe'. "—that I'm safe in your hands?"

"Relax, 'Lena." Reno says, hands on her shoulders, directing her (and purposely bumping her, as she is a technical meat shield at the moment) forward, and he rolls his eyes. "When have I ever let you down?"

His blonde cohort counts to five, her voice not quiet enough.

Reno is personally offended.

… it may be the reason why Elena is dropped into one cemetery, while Reno chooses another; ditching her without warning.

And still blindfolded.

— **s**_k_ —

_Bastards!_ Elena fumes, once she takes off the blindfold, red-faced and disgruntled. _The both of them, absolute bastards that should never, ever be trusted! Ever!_

It didn't help that they were lovable bastards.

Sighing, the blonde Turk sits on a bench and brushes the hair out of her eyes. _Deep breaths,_ she reminds herself: _that's the way to go._

When she sufficiently cools down, the first thing Elena does is call Rude. After scouring the area for any sign of evil _Reno!_

"… '_lo?"_ Rude's voice is strangely sleepy.

"Am I disturbing you?" Not good. Her voice is extremely high pitched, and Rude, if he's to be given any credit, _knows_ that the high pitched shriek-y voice is not a good reaction. Unless he was purposely aiming for it, which in this case, Elena thinks not. Not to mention that her words are coming out far too fast from her mouth.

"… _no. Not at all."_ Her bald friend is quick to assure her of this.

"Oh, _good._" Her temper is fraying, and luckily, Rude is an excellent listener.

— **s**_k_ —

The audience loves him, applauding his every move, every word spoken. Really, Reno smirks, as he remembers his neck line, if he wasn't a Turk, then he would truly become an actor, basking in the love and cheers that the fans seem to scream at his very sight.

Cloud Strife must have lost the race on purpose, knowing that Reno was far superior in terms of pleasing the audience.

"You… are beautiful. Like the cheese… the moon… the cheese in the moon, and the moon in the cheese…" Long pauses and elongated gestures help.

Hey, the words may be absolutely atrocious, but at least he's getting _paid_ for this crap!

The audience clapping and bursting into tears doesn't hurt either. After all, Reno loves adoration.

Especially if he's dressed in drag and has horrendous make-up.

Filling in for a fucking part because _someone_ – fickle actor – had chosen to leave because of 'creative differences'.

Really.

This is the best job ever to exist.

— **s**_k_ —

"_Yes. I know. I know. I'm sorry."_ There is a pause. _"Stop pouting. And frowning. It does not suit you."_

"But you—" Elena takes a deep breath, and looks up. Huh. It's night time. "You vacuumed the apartment, right?"

"… _yes."_ She can detect reluctance in that pause.

"_Rude…"_

"… _no."_ Her confidant can be quite surly when he wants to be.

"Do it now, 'cause you'll forget it when I hang up."

"… _you're hanging up?"_ Rude is incredulous, preferring to focus on the new subject than end the conversation.

The PHS is snatched from her hands.

"Oh, yeah. She's hanging up. Later, traitor." Reno smirks, before snapping her PHS shut. His hand scuttles to her shoulder, and Elena can feel her heart race as she meets his green eyes. "So, where were we?"

Elena could punch him. If not for the fact that most of her concentration is her fighting a smile.

Rolling her eyes is the best she can do, and Reno simply joins her side, making her budge on the bench.

"You didn't answer the question." Reno's mischievous eyebrows _waggle_. Up and down.

"And I don't intend to." Elena replies, folding her arms across her chest and looking away. "Not unless you can give me a reason."

"Hmm…" The red head Turk scratches his non-existent beard. "What about our date?"

"Our… _date?_" Cheeks flare up, heat rising like wildfire. _What on the Planet is Reno on about?_

"Yes. As promised, one trip on the gondola." Reno extends his hand, and still Elena doesn't take it, one eyebrow arched in disbelief.

"You never promised me a trip on the gondola…" The blonde Turk begins to say, voice losing strength as the hypnotic power of glittering green eyes begin to captivate her. But she doesn't look away.

"Didn't I?" He doesn't seem unfazed, and no doubt, Reno's used this tactic for someone else, but the slight bemused tone in his voice is sweet. "Well, I have now – thus I'm here to collect."

And with that, he takes her hand, and guides her to the fireworks.

Not once does Elena pull away.

— **s**_k_ —

… there's always been something wrong with Tifa Lockheart.

Not physically, not emotionally, but… all the same. When he's with her, there isn't… a 'click'. Like a spontaneous combustion—

"Look at the fireworks!" Elena cheers, as she gazes out the window, entranced. "So pretty!"

And he tried. Tried to be nice, gallant, charming. A little bit demanding, a little rough around the edges, a lovable rogue. Someone clingy, someone pushy, someone crazy. He tried to seven shades of the rainbow, if only that she could _consider_ him a suitor. He tried gifts and bribery, secret messages and acted as an admirer from afar. And none of his attempts had paid off.

Tifa Lockheart remained as indifferent to him as ever.

Now, if Reno tried to pursue her, it would be a matter of pride, not love. But what would be the point – his Secret Rival Rude had won her. And they would make a striking couple.

Not as striking as Tifa and _himself_, of course, but still. There was always going to be a possibility of something beautiful between them.

That wonderful _what if?_

But really, Reno is better than that. He's going to move past this, accept that this isn't True Love, and find another pure heart. So he might be mad at Rude, he'll get over it. There's no point in chasing after Tifa Lockheart.

"Right?" And Elena looks at him; warm brown eyes alight with splendour and excitement.

The gondola is going higher and higher, and all Reno can do is smile, watching the light shadow and glow across her face.

"Don't you think so?"

"Yeah." The words come slowly, but Reno only watches her. "Of course it is. Terribly, terribly pretty."

He can't remember what the question even was.

But Elena's beam is reward enough, as she turns away, and the gondola continues to rise.


	10. ten of hearts

"_I'm in love with a fairytale_

_Even though it hurts_

'_Cause I don't care if I lose my mind_

_I'm already cursed."_

**Fairytale, **Alexander Rybak

— **s**_k_ —

"Hey, Reno." Elena murmurs sleepily on the road back home. "… we there yet?"

"Nah." He offers her a smirk, and he's certain that the little Turk can sense his smile. "Not yet. A few hours maybe, it depends if _someone_ wants to go to the bathroom or have a meal or heaven forbid, something else."

"… not my fault, okay?" Her voice lowers into a mumble. "Am so sleepy, and you aren't providing entertainment."

"Depends on what entertainment you were talking about, babe."

Elena punches him – a mere bump of the fist, and Reno only snickers.

"Just joking."

"Right…" Elena breathes out, and fades back into slumber, making sure that Reno steadies her grip on her.

— **s**_k_ —

She hands him a leaflet, at an inn. Oddly enough, it's not a leaflet, but a fancy made invitation letter. That is not addressed to either of them.

"Here. Thought you might like it. Found it during the party, and I nabbed it, but I forgot about it."

"Mm? What—"

"Read it. Thought it might help you with you're quest for Tifa's heart. But I would strongly advise you reconsider that quest because and simply because Rude is now dating her – through fair and legitimate means."

"Oh." It's rather disheartening… actually. That she thinks—

"Yeah." The blonde Turk shifts from side to side, looking distinctly awkward. And she's avoiding eye contact, mouth pursed into a pout. "I'd wish you good luck—" Elena's a _liar._ "—but that would mean an end to Rude and Tifa's courtship. But I have to help you, so this is me. Helping you. … and trying to dissuade you in pursuing Tifa."

"_Oh._" Tifa. Tifa Lockheart. Former 'love of his life' Tifa Lockheart. The woman with a punny name.

… Elena still believes in this, does she?

Well, he'll just have to convince her otherwise.

— **s**_k_ —

… apparently interrupting her whilst she's having a bubble bath is not the correct way.

And it doesn't help either if he says _relax; I've seen it all from other women – not like you're—_

— **s**_k_ —

He tries again en route to Edge. Maybe Elena is no longer fuming.

"'Lena."

"…"

"… _Laney._"

"…"

"Elena."

"…"

"… sorry. I was just—"

"I don't want to hear it!" Her grip tightens, and Reno knows that she's still mad at him.

But still.

"Alright! You talked – achievement!" Her anger isn't going to affect his burst of happiness.

"N-no!" She denies it foolishly. "Well, yes. But can you just_ not _talk? We're going to mention it to _nobody_. Not going to mention it to _anybody._"

"Not even Rude?" Reno arches an eyebrow.

That's almost betrayal of the highest order. Because Rude already knows _everything._ And this teasing is too much fun to stop.

"W-why would you even _think_—" Her embarrassment is delicious. Her shrillness in pitch is not.

"Heh. You are so easy to tease."

"Jerk!" And she punches him, however light it is, he still tries to appear affronted.

Before his grin creeps across his face.

"That's right baby, keep on blushing."

Elena only murmurs something unintelligible. Maybe its better he doesn't hear her correctly.

It might explain that dark clouds targeting them.

— **s**_k_ —

When Rude opens the door, he is mildly surprised that Reno is soaking wet and Elena is completely dry.

And then he realizes: Elena stole his Materia. Just as she runs into his arms, laughing with joy.

"Isn't it awesome? We're going to a party!" Her arms loosen, and are placed on his shoulders: smile irrepressible. "So make sure you're pretty, okay?"

"…" Silence is always a good way to save face.

Elena hugs him once more, and runs into the apartment.

"Yay! You actually used the vacuum!"

How… _horrible._ The Rookie Turk didn't trust him!

"… but you used up the Moogle Cake mixture!"

Oh. Yes. He had forgotten that he shouldn't have used that.

But-but Marlene had used her puppy eyes, hands tugging at Denzel's arms. And the scene just reminded him of Elena and Reno as kids…

Reno coughs. Of course. There's the undiscussed matter of Tifa Lockheart.

And automatically, Reno shoves his hands in his pockets, not looking at him exactly. But Rude is still in his eyesight. (He assumes.)

"Well done, mate. You passed the test, and won the prize." With that, Reno claps the stoic man on the shoulder, and walks inside.

That wasn't awkward at all.

_That—that bastard!_

"Oh, wait—you bought some more Moogle Cake mixture! Just found them in the shopping bags! Thank you, Rude!"

— **s**_k_ —

Elena smoothes out the creases in her blue dress, looking at her reflection once more.

Smiles, because she hasn't done this for quite some time – and she loves the sensation of being dressed up.

"Wow, look at you, Cinderella." Reno speaks, and she glances at him instantly, heart beating erratically. _One-two, one-two-three._

"Do you like?" She bites her lips to conceal a smile.

"I do."

And Reno extends his hand, which Elena gladly takes.

"Now let's hurry. Our _carriage _awaits."

He flicks her nose, and Elena sticks her tongue out in response, laughing.

— **s**_k_ —

Friends shouldn't fight.

There are exceptions, of course.

Like _bubble baths._

And Elena is left mortified as Reno spills the story in the carriage, Rude only listening, intrigued.

— **s**_k_ —

"I missed you stranger," Tifa grins, dressed up as Pocahontas. She's finally noticed their arrival at the party.

"Enough to give me a kiss?" Reno playfully asks; he manages to speak faster than Rude.

"Not _that_ much, you flirt." The dark haired beauty shakes her head, and rolls her eyes. "But enough so that I'll dance with you. Just once."

"Well, I suppose that's enough." Reno checks with both, and perhaps reluctantly, both give their consent.

"I shall dance with you _later,_" Mademoiselle Lockheart gives a meaningful glance, leaving Elena to jump to conclusions, flailing with excitement.

And the red-head and the brunette are lead away, to the sweep and fall of the next ballad.

— **s**_k_ —

"So. Do you want to dance?" Elena looks up, half-smiling.

"…" He had silently promised his _first_ dance to be with Tifa, but…

"Oh, c'mon. Give this gal a chance? It'll be fun!" And Rude has never noticed how small Elena is compared to him. Huh.

And he ruffles her hair, making sure not to wreck it completely.

"… only if you don't step on my toes."

— **s**_k_ —

"Hey, I know, alright?" Tifa smiles as she gazes into Reno's green eyes. "You don't have to hide it, you know?"

"Tifa, _what_ are you talking about?" Trying to feign ignorance isn't going to fool her.

After all, she's known since the very beginning.

"Why, you're hopelessly in love with Elena, of course."

Glass shatters, and both of them turn to the sound of breaking.

It's not Cinderella, but the blonde beauty in question standing there instead.

Before she is swept away by one who is Prince Charming through a mask.


	11. jack of hearts

"_Love is beautiful_

_Love is wonderful_

_Love is everything, do you agree?"_

**Ma Belle Evangeline, **Jim Cummings

— **s**_k_ —

Truthfully, when Rude sent Elena to dance with Reno, under the humble disguise of finding refreshment… he honestly hadn't expected her to run away from the two, blushing out of her mind.

As it happens, his PHS is ringing.

Guess who that could be?

"Elena."

"… _Rude."_ She affirms, most likely nodding as she said his name.

His protégé was running, the bald Turk could tell by the pace of her breath and the clacking of her shoes (or bare feet, if she had chosen not to ruin those pretty slippers) against the ground. Still. It was likely that she wouldn't leave the premise, she had no Gil, although she _did_ have a PHS, which made Rude wonder what _else_ Elena was equipped with…

He can bide time; stall her with his voice.

And if he is a decent matchmaker, which neither Reno nor Elena are, he can make sure that he make the two lovebirds finally kiss.

"_Kya!"_

… a _thump._

And a moan.

"_Oh, where is… where is it…?"_ Grass rustles, and Rude has only two ideas, that Elena's clumsiness has gotten the best of her, and that she's desperately searching for the PHS because all she really wants to do is calm down, and the youngest Turk has told him several times that he has a very pleasant voice. _"Aha! Got you… you inanimate object!"_ Rude is going to pretend that he didn't hear that. _"Uh, Rude… you there?"_

"… you fell, didn't you?" He'd get a migraine if the answer was _no._

"_Er… quite possibly?"_ As it is, Rude is a patient man, despite her half-answer. _"Okay, fine. I did. Happy?"_

"… not really. I'm quite perturbed about your behaviour just now. Care to explain it?" He raises one eyebrow, and waits for the accusatory question.

"_You knew, didn't you?"_

And there it is. That tone that Rude has so fondly missed.

"I know many things." It's his turn to reply with imperviousness.

"_Yes, I know you do. Smug man."_ He walks to the window, seeing fireworks being blasted into the sky. If Rude is being honest, he is genuinely enjoying the party, despite the mishaps. And—

… _there._

He's found her.

"_What I mean is… about Reno. And me. Did you know?"_

"That you two were so hopelessly in love that you didn't see it?" He's refrained from commenting about it externally for so long, that he can't help but jibe her.

"_Yes…"_ She's gritting her teeth. Probably. Or she's annoyed. It's a combination of both. _"… that."_

"Of course I knew." After all, _that_ had been obvious.

From the very, very beginning; they had eyes only for each other.

"And to think, Reno once thought that you had a crush on me. The fool." It's quite laughable.

Although someone is being restrained behind him. And Rude isn't going to look at the reflection to see the mass of red hair. And Reno's angry face.

"Quite simply, he was projecting his crush, in a different way than is the norm."

… Reno is snarling now, while Tifa laughs to cover it up. It doesn't exactly _work_.

And—

"Elena… what are you doing?" He squints his eyes, trying to decipher Elena's figure through the window.

"_I'm drowning myself in this fabled place called 'The Nile'."_

Maybe it's time that he should hand the PHS to Reno.


	12. queen of hearts

"_You're my queen of the night."_

**Ma Belle Evangeline, **Jim Cummings

— **s**_k_ —

"_Why, you're hopelessly in love with Elena, of course."_

She did not mean to drop the glass.

Really.

It just sort of… _happened._ But in any case, it directed Reno's and Tifa's attention onto her. And she froze.

All she was doing was gathering _refreshments._ That was all. Unless, Rude—unless Rude knew she would be unorthodox in her traipsing around the ballroom, and would somehow overhear the conversation of their love interests? No, that seemed too much of a gambit, even for _Rude._ Yet she wouldn't put it against him…

Beware the quiet ones.

Not only could Rude make really cool _bombs_, but he was devious by nature – cheating at every single one of their card games.

And then some stud muffin decided to save her, like Zorro without the amazing swords, and the scene that occurred afterwards in that first film. Not that it would have been _appropriate_, but it was a nice fantasy that lasted as shortly as a blink. And disorientation.

"Thank you," Elena says dizzily, before she disengages herself from the forever mystery man.

He might have been a stud muffin, but he wasn't _her_ stud muffin.

And her stud muffin, well, he… he was Reno, undoubtedly.

Somewhere amidst her musings, she'd wandered in a place she'd never known. The balcony. Plus steps that led into the garden.

And she realized, that not only had the night got a really pretty set of stars tonight, but—

It was raining.

Only lightly, but still.

"I'm going to get soaked."

Clever assumption.

And while she's at it, find shelter, take off her shoes, and call Rude. To demand an answer from the conniving best friend-slash-cheating manipulator, and discover his plot.

Luckily, garters are very handy things that can keep items of need around her at all times, in case she leaves her purse behind.

"C'mon, c'mon, pick up…"

Amazingly, he does so; speaking first before she even has the chance.

"Elena."

Well, he didn't have to say her name like _that._ Short, clipped, expectant.

Also, in a croon. Like the magnificent villains did in movies.

"… Rude." She, in turn, decides to say, slightly pissed off at that.

Left, right, Elena runs, not really looking at the ground… or the root that decides to trip her up.

"_Kya!"_ Involuntary, she shrieks, in slow motion, watching her PHS separate from her hand. Stupid reflexes! "Oh, where is… where is it…?" It doesn't help that it's really dark, either. Although at that same time, the outside lights turn on, and make the garden prettier than before: hedges of rhododendron and other flowers that look neon with the sparkly ornaments that have switched on. And there are fountains. And—

"Aha! Got you… you inanimate object!" She clutches it with her hand, shaking it like a prized weapon – or a snake! Before she remembers that the phone hasn't hung up. And Rude would be secretly laughing through disguise. "Uh, Rude…" Better test the waters first. "… you there?"

"… you fell, didn't you?" It's a statement and sigh, and oh, so very Rude. Deducing the evident with his super hearing.

"Er…" Palms flutter to her thigh, resting as she pushes herself towards the tree to relax. "… quite possibly?" Her smile fades, and she knows that Rude isn't going to respond to that, unless she completely admits it. "Okay, fine." She's scowling now, and it's all account of Rude. "I did. Happy?"

And Reno.

"… _not really." Bastard. "I'm quite perturbed about your behaviour just now. Care to explain it?"_ Commence the eyebrow lifting – which is the most reactive thing about Rude's face. Except his flushing cheeks. But they don't move like his eyebrows do. They simply change colour, though not as much as a chameleon. (It's another feature that Elena likes about Rude: his easily flushed cheeks and over reactive eyebrows.)

And the answer to his question is… another question.

"You knew, didn't you?"

Gratingly, he won't play the game, and indulge her. Instead, he's just toying with her, acting all… ominous.

"_I know many things."_

"Yes, I know you do. Smug man." She can hear his inaudible smile. Rude is wise, and is very good for advice, and maybe this is his advice: _stop being so damn vague so I can answer the question without clarification._ "What I mean is…" Her shoulders slump, and Elena wonders what she's going to do. About many things. "… about Reno. And me." And their changed relationship. "Did you know?"

"_That you two were so hopelessly in love that you didn't see it?" _She frowns at that, but then supposes it's probably true. There's probably a statistic that say people realize that they are in love a lot earlier than they realize it. Maybe.

But still.

"Yes… that."

She still hasn't exactly come to terms with it. That Reno reciprocates her feelings. _If_ what Tifa says is true.

"_Of course I knew."_ The Planet forbid that he does a lecture. _"And to think, Reno once thought that you had a crush on me. The fool."_ Oh, it's worse: Rude's teasing. _"Quite simply, he was projecting his crush, in a different way than is the norm."_

Well, they're relationship has never been 'normal', so she supposes that it's excusable. But really? Reno thought she had a crush on _Rude_? He did have manly arms compared to Reno, but… Rude had never had Reno's playful banter.

Which might be the reason she's climbing a tree.

"_Elena… what are you doing?"_

If her eyesight is working, then there's a cat up there. Among the flashes of leaves and light.

"I'm drowning myself in this fabled place called 'The Nile'." Sardonically she says, wincing as branches break, and she struggles to get on, before she falls. And probably dies. Suffering a terrible death.

It's probably the reason why The Nile is somewhere in the Lifestream. Or was it a book…?

"_Elena."_

"Uh-oh." She… can't move. "Help…?"

"_Mm? What's wrong, 'Lena?"_

"I'm… er… in a bit of a pickle. Outside." Despite being mortified at this minute for probably looking like a twit, she can't help but smile as she hears Reno's voice. "Mind rescuing me?"

"_You got it."_

"Awesome." Elena always knew she could count on her stud muffin. "One more thing."

"_What?"_

"Are… are you really in love with me?"

"_You bet."_


	13. king of hearts

"_Look how she lights up the sky_

_Ma Belle Evangeline_

_So far above me, yet I,_

_Know her heart belongs to only me."_

**Ma Belle Evangeline, **Jim Cummings

— **s**_k_ —

He's never really been one for knights in shining armour.

"_Mind rescuing me?"_

Or being extremely sophisticated.

"You got it."

Or being an utter jerk.

"_Awesome. One more thing."_

Pushy.

"What?"

Clingy.

"_Are… are you really in love with me?"_

Crazy.

"You bet."

He's tried… and Tifa doesn't accept him. (Although, now, she's got a valid reason, technically.)

"_Oh. Good. That's really good."_

But he doesn't have to try with Elena, as he runs into the balcony and slides down the banister.

"And why's that?"

And he loves her for it.

"_Because I'm in love with you too."_

And she loves him back.

"Huh."

And she loves him _back_! This is very good news. The best.

"_Yeah."_

And confessing hadn't exactly gone straight to plan.

"… maybe we should have confessed this face to face."

Oh well.

"_Well, shall we chalk it up to our unconventional charm?"_

Improvisation is always adored. Be it good or bad, right now, he's going to be her rescuer.

"Sounds pretty damn good to me."

And there's Elena. Glowing as she clings, legs dangling, dress torn.

Stuck in a tree.

"You." He sighs as he rakes his hand through his hair. "Are. Ridiculous."

"Reno!" Both are getting soaked by the light downpour, but still, she's laughing; crazy at it seems, he's joining her, because they're both ridiculous people who love to have a fun time doing whatever they want. It's free, it's liberating.

And he stays himself, not changing – just existing and being him.

Next to her, it's exhilarating,

"You're here!" Elena smiles, and her hair has darkened into the colour of gold.

"Well, I said I'd rescue you, didn't I?" Arms outstretched, he shouts, nose wrinkling. Her brown eyes glitter, gleaming with glee. "So this is me. Rescuing you."

A beat.

"Aren't you… aren't you going to leap in to my arms?" It's only thanks to his flair of melodrama that he's acting _hurt_.

(She should taken the cue immediately.)

"Well, that depends. Are you going to catch me?"

"Of course! Don't you trust me?"

He goes nearer, just in case she hits the ground instead.

"Well, if you promise…"

"I promise, Elena."

And with that, she throws herself off the tree, and into his embrace. Only screaming slightly.

But he catches her, acting as her cushion, as both of them hit the ground, and let their lips touch.

"See," Reno smiles, a little breathless when he pulls away, (it feels so _weird_, and electrocuted, and he's not sure if he's in control of the situation), and her eyes are just as bright, and never has his heart hammered in chest like this. "Told you I'd catch you."

"Guess so." Elena grins, and her voice is just as breathy.

The world is spinning, and spinning, and spinning, and all they are doing is staring at each other, in each others arms.

"You know, I always hated the King of Hearts. Thought he was kind of stupid." She's rambling, but he doesn't care.

Doesn't care that the sky is shinier with stars than every before, and only because two brown orbs have been added. They're getting soaked, but can't be bothered to move.

"Really?"

"Yeah, but… you're the King of _my _Heart, aren't you?"

"Right."

"And that doesn't mean that you're stupid." Hardly. Reno has never been stupid, he likes to have fun. "It means that you're _mine._"

"Likewise." And if they're stupid, it's only because they're in love.

"They say, that you should always bet on the Queen of Hearts, you know." She teases him, giving him this one fact that amuses him greatly.

"Well then, Queen of my Heart, I think you should know that I'd always bet on _you."_

She grins, and he kisses her nose, the impulse too much for him to resist; Cinderella simply beautiful – and this spell was never going to break.

— **s**_k_ —

**a/n.** _Thank you for reading and reviewing, I hope you enjoyed it as much I loved writing!_


End file.
